Project PACER

It would also require a continuous supply of nuclear explosives and contemporary economics studies[2] demonstrated that these could not be produced at a competitive price compared to conventional energy sources.

Among the many topics covered, the group considered power generation by exploding 1-megaton bombs in a 1,000-foot (300 m) diameter steam-filled cavity dug in granite.

[3] The initial PACER proposals were studied under the larger Project Plowshares efforts in the United States, which examined the use of nuclear explosions in place of chemical ones for construction.

Dropping about two bombs a day would cause the system to reach thermal equilibrium, allowing the continual extraction of about 2 GW of electrical power.

They demonstrated that assuming a cost of $42 000 for the 50kT nuclear explosives would be the equivalent of fuelling a conventional light-water reactor with uranium fuel at a price of $27 per pound for yellowcake.

[8] The report also noted the problems with any program that generated large numbers of nuclear bombs, saying it was "bound to be controversial" and that it would "arouse considerable negative responses".